Areas of Clinical Expertise

Areas of Laboratory Medicine Expertise

Analytical chemistry

Microscopy and pathohistology

Animal pathophysiology

Microbiology

Research Interests

Dr. Sparks is a cardiovascular research scientist and operates a research laboratory at the University of Ottawa Heart Institute. The research in the laboratory of Dr. Sparks is focused to elucidate how the metabolism of lipid in the body is regulated and linked to the development of inflammatory disorders. Dr. Sparks founded a biopharmaceutical company to develop novel biotherapeutics for the treatment and prevention of hyperlipidemia and inflammatory diseases.

Cardiovascular Therapeutics: Plant derived phospholipids are rich in the omega-6 fatty acid, linoleic acid, and have therapeutic value to treat hyperlipidemia and inflammatory diseases of the liver and vasculature (Pandey, COID 2008).

Cholesterol Metabolism: Cholesterol accumulation in the blood stream is affected by enzymes that regulate the esterifcation and transport of cholesterol into the vascular storage pool. Cholesterol storage and excretion are controlled by lipoprotein charge. Lipoprotein electrostatic properties regulate interfacial enzyme activity and control the uptake and excretion of cholesterol by the liver (Sparks, CPL 2008).

Triglyceride metabolism: Patients with low plasma HDL-cholesterol levels often have elevated triglycerides. The inverse relationship between plasma HDL and triglyceride levels may be partly due to the ability of HDL to regulate triglyceride metabolism. Studies show that factors that stimulate HDL production affect plasma triglycerides levels by stimulating lipase secretion and triglyceride hydrolysis (Chatterjee, Biochemistry 2009).

HDL and Inflammation: Plasma HDL-cholesterol levels are low in patients with inflammatory disease. HDL levels are associated with the severity of inflammation in the body. Studies show that factors that increase HDL production impact inflammatory disease by directly blocking cellular inflammatory pathways (Pandey, Neuroscience 2009).